Topper and stripper for cane-harvesters.



No'. 754,788. PATENTED MAIL'I, 1904'.

E. D. LUCE. EOEPEE END STEIEPEEEoE GENE HARVESTERS.

APPLIOATlON FILED JULY 27, 1903.

E0 Eo'DEL. .2 snEETs-sEEET .1

No. 754,788. v l ,PATENTED MAR. l5, 194.

G- D. LUCE.

- TOPPER AND STRIPPER FORv GANE HARvisTPRs.

v APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1903. H0 MODEL. l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

no. wares.

STATES ihaiin v Patented March 15, 190s.

.ernaar ruina.

Louisiana TOPPER AND STRIPPER FOR GANE-HARVESTERS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,788, dated March l5, 1904.

I Application filed July 27,1903. Serial No. 167,101. (Nomodeh To a/ZZ 'whom/.it Healy-concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE D. LUCE, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Topper and Stripper for Cane-Havesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in topping and stripping mechanism designed yto be used in connection with a sugar-cane harvester, an object being to provide a mechanl ism of this character by means of which the cane may be quickly topped and stripped of its leaves and the stalk conveyed to a cart or wagon.

I will describe a topper and stripper for cane-harvesters embodying my invention and then point out" the novel features in the appended claims. 'i

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicated corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1. is a longitudinal section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2 of a topper and stripper ernbodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one of the topping and stripping devices.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 ,4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

The topping and stripping device is designed1 to be drawn as a trailer by a cane cutter or harvester. It comprises a' frame 5, supported at about the center on Wheels 6,and extending longitudinally of the frame is an endless carrier 7, 'the chains of which pass around .sprocket-wheels 8' `on a front shaft 9 and thence around sprocket-'wheels 10 on a rear shaft 11. Motion is imparted to this endless carrier from the axle of the Wheels 6. As here shown, a gear-wheel 12 is attached to the axle and meshes with a pinion 13, on the shaft of which is a sprocket-Wheel', from which a chain 14 extends to a connection with a sprocket-wheel on the shaft 11, and arranged above the carrier 7 is another endless carrier 15, which extends around rollers 16 near the pfr'ont end of the frame and thence around' 'sprocket-Wheels 17', attached to a shaft18,

having hearings in arms 19extended from the standardsat the rear end of the frame 5.

-a cart or other vehicle may be drawn underneath the same. to receive the material d'is. charged from the carrier. This carrier 15 is operated by a chain 20, driven from the shaft 11 and connecting with the sprocket-wheel on the shaft 18.

Arranged at each side of the machine and extended longitudinally thereof is a toppingshaft 21, and each shaft 21 carries'a plurality of topping-blades 22, whichcoact with hook- -lilre blades 23, formed in a plate 24 and attached touprights 25 in the sides of the frame. Each plate 24 has an outward extension forming a stripping-plate 26, having a hole 27, into lwhich the cane is to be thrust to remove the leaves that may be thereon, and extended partly around the hole 27 `is a guide-plate 28. By extend ing the plates 26 outward or laterally from the sides of the frame the stripping-holes are more 'conveniently placed for the manipulation of the cane by persons standing on the running-'boards v29 than would be the caseA were the plates having the holes extended directly upward from or over the frame. A

ln the operation as the cut cane passes from theV harvester the operator standing on the running-boards 29 will pick up the cane singly and hold the upper ends thereof in position for the operation ofthe topping-blades 22 23'. After this the stalk of cane is to be thrust into 'the hole 27l` far enough to strip offthe leaves endof eachvshaft 2,1 is provided with Va bevel pinion 30, engaging a Abevel-,pinion.31 on a vertical shaft 32, on the lowel'1 end of ,which is a bevel-pinion engagingwith bevelpinion, j

33 on the shaft 9.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim y as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A 'trailer for a harvesting-machine comV prising awheel-mounted frame, ,an endless carrler 1n said frame, shafts extended along thel opposite sides of said frame, topping'- blades carried by said shafts, fixed blades co- 4acting with the first-named blades, and u'prights supporting the xed blades, and plates extended outwardfrom said uprigllts and prolyidedWith@stripping-holes.

'.hoies, and guard- 2. A trailer for a hari'esting-machine, cornprismg a frame mounted on wheels, an 'end-l less conveyer or carrier, uprightsat thesidestended along said frame, shafts extended along the sides, of the frame, guiding connections between said shafts 'and the endless carrier, drlvlng connections between said endless carf,

rier and the Wheels of the trailer1 toppingri blades on said shafts, and an endless carrier above the first-named carrier and extended rearward thereof.

4. Artrailer for a cane-harvester,comprising a Wheel-mounted frame, carriers on said fraizne, platforms arranged along the sides of the frame, and strippingdevices com prising plates extended laterally from the frame over the platforms and provided with holesand guides extending partly aroimd -the holes.

5. A trailer for a cane-harvester.' endless carriers, a Wheeled frame supporting said carriers, uprights at the sides ot" the carriers, rotary topping-blades, xed blades on the un rights, zand Ystripping; devices supported the uprights and extended outward therefrom. .In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in thepresence ol" two subscribing Witnesses. I GEORGE Il). LUQUE. Witnesses:

C. M. Henn, ANDREW HERO. 

